1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for imaging visible information on a medium on which an invisible or visible code is formed or to be formed and to an image information management system including such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a digitized document, which is displayed on a display, is accompanied by a problem in not only readability but also portability. Therefore, the digitized document is often printed out to be read or to be carried around for use. On the other hand, such a printed document is often corrected. However, since the original digitized document and corrections are not at all linked, it is required to digitally reedit the original document later on. Hence, it is desired that a system automatically reflecting a correction of a printed document on its original digitized document, that is, a paper-based tablet system, be realized. For such a system, first, it is necessary to obtain the coordinates of the tip part of an input device on a sheet of paper.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-101864 discloses an apparatus composed of a plurality of information display media, a plurality of information storage media, and an information recording apparatus. The entire part of each information display medium is like a sheet of paper, and each information display medium correctably displays and retains a variety of information. According to this system, information input to the information recording apparatus by handwriting is displayed on the information display media or stored in the information storage media, and information read out from the information storage media by the information recording apparatus is also displayed on the information display media. The information display media not only retains but also freely corrects or deletes the displayed information. Accordingly, a document can be made or stored without consuming paper.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 61-296421 discloses an apparatus that includes a coordinate panel on which optically readable code symbols are arranged in a matrix so as to obtain coordinate information by reading the code symbols. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-141104 discloses an apparatus of the same technical contents.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-244657 discloses an apparatus that edits a document by reading barcodes of file information such as file names printed on sheets of paper when correction is made on the paper sheets.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-215000 discloses an information processing system where an invisible code having characteristic position information is preprinted on each information display medium on which reversible recording is performable, and correction information is recognized by the invisible information. The invisible code is used for information security purposes.
Furthermore, according to a coordinate input apparatus, an information processing system, and a medium disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-293303, optically readable code symbols are arranged in a matrix on a sheet of paper, and the code symbols are read by a micro-camera provided to a pen as corrections are made on the paper sheet by the pen so that coordinate information can be obtained simultaneously with correction information. Thereby, the correction information, which is read in real time, is correlated to the information of the paper sheet before correction.
As means for retaining a variety of information such as characters and images in a visible state, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-101864 proposes the technique that is a combination of the merits of traditional means of recording information on a paper sheet and means of recording information on a computer including a display and a memory, where the advantages and disadvantages of both means are considered. In other words, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-101864 discloses the apparatus that can rewrite information input by handwriting or created by a computer to be recorded on a recording medium many times (that is, the recording medium is not consumed like paper sheets) so as to be able to process the information as computer-processible digital information that can be stored in memory and output to or input from outside.
However, from a usability point of view, this apparatus, which requires a plurality of information display media having information written thereto or printed thereon to be placed on the tablet so that corrections are made on the media, is inconvenient since the apparatus needs the tablet to be carried around with the information display media when necessary.
Further, for personal use of individuals, as much convenience and functionality as those in the case of writing information on traditional paper sheets by using writing instruments should be achieved. However, users may feel differently in writing work using the tablet from the way they feel in writing information on the paper sheets using the writing instruments, thus having uncomfortable feeling.
These disadvantages are common to the techniques disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 61-296421 and No. 7-141104.
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-244657, when corrections are made on the tablet, a document is edited by reading the barcode on each paper sheet. However, this requires troublesome work of reading the barcode of each paper sheet in editing the document.
On the other hand, according to the system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-293303, when a printed document is corrected, corrections are automatically reflected on its original digitized document. However, this type of system requires correlating the original digitized document with the recording medium of the printed document, and it is desirable that the correlation be made as automatically as possible with the least human intervention possible.
Further, in the case of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-215000, an information display medium is limited to the one on which reversible recording is performable, and there is no description of how visible information is printed on the information display medium.
Generally, the invisible code is printed with ink using an ultraviolet (UV) luminescent material, a near infrared luminescent material, or a near infrared absorbing material. The invisible code is recognized as an image by image acquisition means such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) detecting light in the UV spectral region or the near infrared spectral region. However, if corrections are made or an image is formed on a medium printed with such an invisible code with any of materials that absorb light in the above-described spectral regions, it is extremely difficult or impossible to recognize the invisible code. This is the case not only with the invisible code but also with a visible code printed in a visible but visually quiet color, such as a light gray. Some near infrared absorbing pigments are of visible colors such as the light gray.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an imaging method, an imaging apparatus, and an image information management system in which the above-described disadvantages are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an imaging method and apparatus that prevent formation of a visible image on an information display medium on which an invisible or visible code is formed with an imaging material using a near infrared absorbing pigment from affecting recognition of the invisible or visible code.
Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide an imaging method and apparatus that are employed in a system where a user, in printing a desired document, prints an invisible or visible code and the document successively on a paper medium (a plain paper sheet) with no preprinted code, and information written to the printout of the document with a pen is obtained as digital information and electrically (digitally) added to the original document based on code information.
Yet another more specific object of the present invention is to provide an image information management system that enables temporary use of codes so that the codes, which are limited, can be effectively used.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by an imaging method including the steps of (a) determining whether an object on which an image is to be formed is an information display medium on which a code is formed with an imaging material formed of a near infrared absorbing pigment, and (b) forming the image on the object by a printer engine with an imaging material formed of a pigment absorbing no or little light in a near infrared spectral region if the step (a) determines that the object is the information display medium.
According to the above-described imaging method, since the imaging material using the pigment absorbing no or little light in the near infrared spectral region is used in forming the visible image on the information display medium having the code formed thereon, the formation of the image over the code does not affect recognition of the code. Therefore, the code can be recognized correctly. As a result, the visible image can be formed on the information display medium having the code formed thereon without any problem.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by an imaging apparatus including a printer engine, a determination part that determines whether an object on which an image is to be formed is an information display medium on which a code is formed with an imaging material formed of a near infrared absorbing pigment, and an imaging part that forms the image on the object by the printer engine with an imaging material formed of a pigment absorbing no or little light in a near infrared spectral region if the determination part determines that the object is the information display medium.
According to the above-described imaging apparatus, since the imaging material using the pigment absorbing no or little light in the near infrared spectral region is used in forming the visible image on the information display medium having the code formed thereon, the formation of the image over the code does not affect recognition of the code. Therefore, the code can be recognized correctly. As a result, the visible image can be formed on the information display medium having the code formed thereon without any problem.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by an imaging method including the steps of (a) forming a code on a paper medium with an imaging material formed of a near infrared absorbing pigment, and (b) forming an image on the paper medium with an imaging material using a pigment absorbing no or little light in a near infrared spectral region.
According to the above-described imaging method, at any time, a user can obtain the trace of handwriting on an existing document printed on a paper medium such as a plain paper sheet. That is, the above-described imaging method is applicable to the system where a user, in printing a desired document, prints an invisible or visible code and the document successively on a paper medium (a plain paper sheet) with no preprinted code, and information written to the printout of the document with a pen is obtained as digital information and electrically (digitally) added to the original document based on code information.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by an imaging apparatus including a code formation part that forms a code on a paper medium with an imaging material formed of a near infrared absorbing pigment, and an imaging part that forms an image on the paper medium with an imaging material using a pigment absorbing no or little light in a near infrared spectral region.
According to the above-described imaging apparatus, at any time, a user can obtain the trace of handwriting on an existing document printed on a paper medium such as a plain paper sheet. That is, the above-described imaging method is applicable to the system where a user, in printing a desired document, prints an invisible or visible code and the document successively on a paper medium (a plain paper sheet) with no preprinted code, and information written to the printout of the document with a pen is obtained as digital information and electrically (digitally) added to the original document based on code information.
The above objects of the present invention are further achieved by an image information management system including an imaging apparatus and an information input apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus includes a code formation part that forms a code symbol on a paper medium with an imaging material formed of a near infrared absorbing pigment and an imaging part that forms an image on the paper medium with an imaging material using a pigment absorbing no or little light in a near infrared spectral region, and the information input apparatus includes an image reading device that optically reads the code symbol formed on the paper medium, a decoding part that decodes the read code symbol, a distortion calculation part that calculates at least one of a position, orientation, and distortion of the code symbol in an image read by the image reading device, and a coordinate detection part that detects a position of a certain point on the paper medium.
Additionally, in the image information management system, the coordinate detection part of the information input device may detect the position of the certain point on the paper medium based on at least one of coordinate information representing coordinates on the paper medium and identification information that identifies the paper medium and on at least the one of the position, the orientation, and the distortion of the code symbol, the coordinate and identification information being included in information of the decoded code symbol.
Additionally, in the image information management system, the code symbol formed by the code formation part of the imaging apparatus may be temporary non-characteristic coordinate information, the code symbol being managed by an information processing apparatus while the information input apparatus obtains a trace of handwriting and freed after an operation of adding the trace of the handwriting to an image source is completed.
Thereby, the image information management system that enables temporary use of codes so that the codes, which are limited, can be effectively used can be provided.